The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1887-04-20
iercipg black eyes curling black hair. and

piercing black eyes. curling black hair, and
white. even teeth. He laughingly intro
duced himself as Lawrence Leydham, sent
down by Elder Peabody to instruct the
amateurs, etc., taking part in the socIable.
In a half hour he had good humoredly in
gratiated himself into the graces OF the
Deacon. and in half hour more was in
stalled in tho Lyman mansion as guest
In twenty-fou hours he had fallen deeply
in love with Ethel; in forty eight hours he
was her slave; ut the close of the success
full sociable he proposed and was rejected,
and he laid the cuuse of his defeat to Will
Harrington, who Lad the day before sue
cessfully hunted and killed n bear, and was
the hero of the Corners, and praised greatly
by sweet Ethel. The next day an encounter
took place betwe5 II VIII and Mr.. Leydhnm;
it was SAID Leydham drew knife upon Will;
however, Leydham was badly whipped, and
left town, threatening TO get even and that
revenge was sweet.
Again the Corners settled down to its
old time sleepiness, and was not disturbed
till the awful news of war and call for men
to defend the Union. We all responded.
Our company was full to man, and
waited for acceptance. l will pass over the
parting, which is said to be so sad, yet so
sweet Everyone left with Gods blessing
invoked upon his loved head. Will and
Ethel, now lovers parted with VOWS OF love
and lasting fidelity, and l honestly believe
Will then got his first kiss.
"Well, to curtail this recital, let us
suppose a couple of years have passed.
You find us a tough lot of humanity. We
are rough, sunburned, full Of jokes and
droll ideas; We are cooks, chambermaids,
etc.. we have bullet marks upon us, and
lead in our bodies; danger and battles have
haco,na Al noctip,a. life ic HaetinU vision
we do not take the trouble to solve or bring
into thought as a reality; it is simply pos
sessed day, lost tomorrow. Will Har-
rington has been our First Lieutenant for
eight months. Over there in Company X
was Second Lieutenant l.. Leydbam. In
many ways he did meanness TO Will, and
we often warned Will that Leydham only
sought a good opportunity to do him a fatal
injury; but Will would not listen. His
frank, honest disposition and fearless ma
ture scorned all mcanness, and he averaged
others by his own measure, poor plan.
You knew our Colonel, and what fanatic
he cas in way of getting up camp theatricals,
doing the composing and hero biz himself
as he calls it-'lifting up the morale of
the soldier We had hardly bivouacked
here and got things in apple-pie order be-
fore the visionary Colonel's ukase was
posted demanding bush house 10 be
made as a Coliseum and weekly exhibit
tions to be given. He had one ready for the
boards Devotion. or the Traitors Fate!
What was it? Well, mixed-up lot of
trash. spy; a Jealous captain captures
him. he is doomed TO be shot; the execu-
ton, from which his sweetheart tries to
save him in vain. Then the Colonel makes
his great closing morale speech on duties
of true soldier and punishment Of spies;
etc.. ETC.. I'D in6nitum.
"The Colonel was to personate a General
Ga much coveted rank; Lieutenant Leyd-
ham, the Jealous captain; Will Harring-
ton was the spy; but who was to personate
the mother and the sweetheart? That
very night the Deacon, his wife,
and Ethel, who had been visiting
Washington, had come over to see their
sons and VIII. AS soon as the Colonel
heard OF their being in camp he rushed
out after them, and persuaded them to
take part in the coming theatrical event.
They consented, and the Colonel was in
his high jinks spirits. The fatal night
came; the bush house was filed with SOL
diers from adjoining camps of all grades
and rank. The lovely Ethel, beautiful as
n rose among marigolds, captured the
hearts of all the audience. Her songs were
had TO appear and request cessation Of
applause. The play went on; the spy was
captured, tried, and condemned: the
Colonel as Judge passed sentence, re-
marking: Sir, as traitor and spy, YOU
should be hung; but as your aged father is
n loyal man, in consideration of his honor
l condemn you to be shot Here fol-
lowed some duets, etc. and then file of
soldiers marched in, halted in line, and
ordered arms. Everything being ready for
the execution, the prisoner was ordered to
be brought in, There was some delay.
Will had from some cause been suddenly
attacked with cramps, and was unable to
arise. Ethel rushed into the room and ex-
claimed, Let me have your hat, boots and
long coat. / will take youi place, and
soon between the guards she was marched
to her doom. When she was placed in the
proper position she said in her gruffest
tones TO the soldiers, Il am innocent; fire
at my heart!' Lieutenant Leydham, with
white lips and face, with trembling limbs,
in tone almost voiceless. commanded,
Fire. A sheet of flame and smoke
shot out of the guns, the spy
took a couple of steps backward, then
steadying herself. threw off the dis
guise and revealed the horror struck face
of beautiful Ethel. Blood was trickling
and pointing a once-beautiful hand, now
mangled by bullets, exclaimed: You vii
lain Vile murderer! o, Williep and fell
dead upon the stage floor"
"Great God in heaven"
keep still, Walt; let me finish. / must
skip details of scenes of grief, for am
unable to adequately tell what followed.
will say bounded upon the stage like q
tiger, and struck Leydham insensible to the
floor, and, turning in fury to the Colonel,
cried: Murderer! did you plot this?' To
my surprise this man, who was brave as
the brayest, and had stood like a rock in a
dozen hard-fought battles, sta>ed at me and
my angry face, rolled his eyes, and, with
a gasp, fell fainting at my feet.
Il ordered every one out, and, tenderly
lifting the body of Ethel, carried it to the
dressiug-ro room and-well, the Colonel and
/ tried by brides, coaxing and threats to
find ont who ppt the bullets into the guns.
We hired the best detective we could, and
up to this time we are in the dark. but al
most know that Leydham is guilty.
will was Frustrated, and, / think, his
senses or sanity paralyzed, for he has re-
NAMED in complete silence, recognizing
no one. One night personated the ghost
of woman, and suddenly appeared before
Will, but he only smiled. l went to Lieu
tenant Ieydham's quarters. Sandy, here.